


The World We Created

by irinawrites



Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe, Angst, Gaming, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-29
Updated: 2020-12-07
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:13:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27778192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/irinawrites/pseuds/irinawrites
Summary: Corpse closes his eyes as he feels his body trembles. Flashes of forgotten memories start to rummage through his head, and it’s making him dizzy.“Anyway, what I am saying is that there’s only one enchanter in the history of Avalanche. Only one. Which means he’s back, guys. Sykkuno is back.”This is loosely inspired by the Anime and Netflix Drama called King's Avatar.
Relationships: Corpse Husband & Sykkuno (Video Blogging RPF), Corpse Husband/Sykkuno (Video Blogging RPF)
Comments: 89
Kudos: 377





	1. The Return of the Jade Enchanter

**Author's Note:**

> This is loosely inspired by the Anime and Netflix Drama called King's Avatar. 
> 
> Anyway, I just want to share this with you guys especially those who love Corpse and Sykkuno.

It was supposed to be another average day until, out of the blue, Avalanche dropped the news on their official Twitter account that it will launch its 11th server at midnight on Christmas Day. No one saw it coming, and players worldwide have been buzzing around social media either with excitement or dismay. The gaming company kept tight-lipped by their sudden decision, refusing to answer media queries, nor providing further explanation. Still, it didn’t stop people from probing further.

For professional alliances, this move is a bit problematic. The tournament has just ended, and they usually use the lull periods to strengthen their server guilds. Additionally, the timing makes it difficult to gather a team as most members are unavailable to take an unexpected game call from the management. However, it is still vital for pro-alliances to be present on every server to increase their brand affinity and gather new followers.

As the league’s reigning champion and the current holder of seven consecutive tournament titles, people are looking forward to Winter’s Eve Professional Alliance to be present in the new server. Founded by what the gaming world calls the Great Trinity, it is composed of Avalanche’s three most prominent players. One of whom is its elusive captain, who also holds seven MVP titles. Only known by his game name Corpse, the player has never shown his face and would go to tournaments wearing a black dust mask. He plays a battle mage called Corpse Husband, a character regarded by every player as the Battle God of Avalanche. The other part of the trio is its Winter’s Eve’s Vice-Captain known as Toast. He is the alliance tactician and plays the most notorious and brightest assassin in the game called Disguised Toast. Last but not least is Valkyrae, who is known for her grandmaster skills in archery and long-distance attack. These players are rarely seen in the game and would sometimes appear if there’s an official event that Winter’s Eve is hosting or Avalanche's yearly anniversary celebration. So, having them appear on a server launch is unheard of. 

Well, almost. Because Rae is now grudgingly gawking at her watch while waiting for the new server to load. She couldn’t believe that she, out of all the people, has to do the work of building their guild and recruiting new players. The lower team usually takes on this kind of responsibility but seeing that most members are on the holiday break, Toast has proposed to settle the score with a silly childish game - Rock-paper-scissors. Corpse immediately agreed, and she had no choice but to follow her captain. She used to be good at chance games, but somehow she lost so severely against both of them for some strange reason. If only people could see the world’s most renowned Avalanche gamers doing intense rock-paper-scissors, they would have lost their minds.

Though annoyed, Rae understands the situation. It just sucks that she has to spend her Christmas playing the game. It was supposed to be a relaxing spa night with wine, cherries, and chocolate mousse to celebrate their recent victory. She knows she deserves it, but somehow she’s also relieved that Corpse and Toast can get their well-deserved break from the game. After all, it was their Captain and Vice-Captain who have spent so many sleepless nights polishing the strategy that won them the championship.

The three of them decided to stay in the city for the holidays. Corpse dreads spending his break with his family, so she and Toast agreed to accompany him. They knew each other for a decade, and honestly, Rae treats them like her own brothers. She knows all their quirks and secrets, and she’s even one of the few that have seen her captain’s handsome face. She would do anything for them and would follow them wherever or whatever they decide to do.

But for now, she’s allowed to fucking loathe them. 

The sound of Avalanche’s opening theme started, and Rae peeps back at her monitor, a smile settling on her once irritated face. She remembers the old times when the game has just launched. They didn’t know each other and only communicated through Skype as there was no Discord back then. They used to have a group of old players who are passionate about exploring Avalanche’s under-developed world. Some of them are still playing and became pro-gamers like them and building their alliances across servers, while the others left and focused on other things. 

Rae deliberates for a bit if she should use her current account or create a dummy. Still, the advantages of using Valkyrae surpassed the idea of being anonymous in the new server.

First, Valkyrae will make the recruitment process faster and easier. Her account is also overpowered and can quickly get kill-records for the guild. But using a dummy account will make her experience the old times, where she grinds to farm for materials and fights bosses with other newbies using low-powered equipment. However, it’s Christmas Day, and she’s alone, irritated, and a bit hungry. 

_Fuck it_ , Rae thought. Toast can scold her later. She’s using Valkyrae.

There was heavy traffic on the opening of the new server, and the loading took some time. The moment Rae enters the game, her character Valkyrae pops in the entrance of some random town surrounded by hundreds of players, all seemingly level 0. Rae couldn’t help but smile. Avalanche still proves highly popular, and not even Christmas can stop players from playing the game. 

Her appearance has caused a commotion in the general chat, with most people recognizing her character instantly and most likely because she has a level 1450 above her head. She ignores it for now and walks straight to the town hall's NPC guardian so she can get the direction to build Winter’s Eve’s alliance. She needs to be able to establish it first before she jumps into recruitment.

The NPC congratulates her for reaching a level that allows her to start her alliance. She giggles for a moment before trash-talking the poor NPC for not recognizing that her character is already a thousand levels above the required level. After a few moments, the NPC finally gives her a list of materials that she would need to prove her worth as a guild master.

As she leaves the town hall, a group of players suddenly surrounds her, asking to join her party. Numerous pop-up invites started popping out on her screen like spam. 

_Hold your horses, people,_ Rae thought, exasperated. She was about to cancel their request when a genius idea suddenly popped into her head, and just like that, her scowl turned into an evil smile.

She quickly turns on her microphone and allows proximity calls so her fans can hear her announcement. 

“It’s so nice to see you all here, everyone!” Rae starts sheepishly. She could hear the other players’ excited chatter, and she couldn’t help but feel delighted. 

“I have an exciting proposition for you guys. Whoever can collect this list of materials for me in the next 30 mins will be part of my party and be the new members of the Winter’s Eve 11th Sever Guild. What do you guys say? Happy hunting!”

She smirks as she watches the players disperse almost instantly from her sight, running around looking for the materials she asked. This whole recruitment is easier than she initially thought. Toast would have been proud. She smiled at herself for being so smart as she roams around town looking for equipment she can buy as gifts to her alliance’s would-be members.

One by one, players coming from different areas approach her with all the materials she needs, and after 30 mins, she already has ten people in her party. After submitting it to the town hall, the game announced Winter’s Eve as the server’s first alliance.

Now, she has to promote the alliance’s level to recruit more players, and the only way to do that is to gain more experience. She takes a quick inspection at the new server’s map and grimaces. It’s undeniably heftier and distinctive compared to that of the other servers. Usually, there will be some similarities, but this time around, it was just different. The town has an unusual look, and the forest is more sinister and hollow. It was as if a separate developer created this server. But somehow, it feels familiar to Rae though she couldn’t pinpoint as to why. She wonders briefly if the gameplay will be the same, but if she based it on her decade-long experience with Avalanche, it probably should be.

She checks out the nearest areas from the town and catches the Mystic Cave near Hail Mountain. There should be a boss dwelling there, and given its location, its level should be low-leveled enough for them to get their first kill.

“You guys up to a trip to the Mystic Cave? Fighting the boss will not just help you guys gain experience, but it will also help our alliance level-up,” Rae announces.

Everyone eagerly agrees with the assurance that she will protect them from danger. She is Valkyrae, after all.

She leads her party to the Mystic Cave. Some low-leveled skeletons charge at them as they enter, which are easy enough to eradicate. But as they go beyond the cave’s depts, the skeletons are becoming more high-leveled. Rae realizes that this new server’s monsters are more skillful and intricate. It is as if this server’s principal purpose is to enhance its players’ strategic and critical thinking. Even with Valkyrae, a skeleton with a level 5 can damage her if she’s not careful. 

She was proven right when they finally met the cave’s level 10 boss - Tameria. The boss’ hits are generally weak but extraordinarily poisonous and can lower their health to zero if they fight with it for a longer time. Some of her party members were already in critical condition when they finally defeated the boss. The game announces their win with a flashing red announcement on top of the screen, and her party starts celebrating. 

Suddenly, the ground crumbles and breaks, and a colossal spider arises with a level of 2000 and a red skull above it. 

_An overpowered hidden boss in a low-powered cave? What the actual fuck? What is wrong with this server?_ Rae thought. 

She jumps away from the boss’ proximity as she yells command to her party. 

“Be careful, everyone! Put some distance between you and the boss. Hurry!” Rae frantically shouts.

But it seems a second too late, as one by one, her party members started dying before her eyes. 

She jumps away again, putting more distance between her and the new boss. She struggles to aim her arrow and screams in horror as the monstrous spider crawls fast towards her direction. It was about to bite her when suddenly it screeches in pain before falling to the ground with a loud thud.

Rae stands back, shaken and puzzled. She looks around, searching desperately for her savior, when finally her eyes catch a shadow. Standing behind the boss’s lifeless body is an enchanter with a green silk scarf coiled around his neck—a personalized character with a job class that no one has ever possessed. She hasn't seen this character played for almost ten years. 

Her thoughts were suddenly disrupted by the game’s announcement, flashing on the screen the Mystic Cave hidden boss’s first record and killing.

As the announcement fades, Rae realizes that the player has already disappeared.

She speedily left a note of congratulation and apology to her new alliance members before going offline. She has to tell Toast and, most importantly, Corpse about this. 

Avalanche’s 11th server is most definitely not an ordinary server. 

\---

Corpse is swigging on his fifth bottle of beer when his phone suddenly rings.

“I bet it’s Rae about to complain how hard it is to start a guild in the new server.” Toast said before taking a sip of his beer.

Corpse laughs as he answers the call. “Hey Rae, what’s up?”

Corpse winces from the loud blabbering coming from the other line and quickly holds his phone away from his ear.

Toast raises an eyebrow, amused. “What is Rae saying, bro?”

Corpse shrugs and places his phone on the table, putting it on speaker. “I have no fucking clue. She is maundering incoherent words.”

“And here I thought we’re the one who’s drinking,” Toast chuckles as he takes another sip of his beer.

“Corpse, Corpse! Listen to me!”

“Calm down, Rae. We’re listening.”

“Oh, Toast! Good, good! You’re together!” Rae pauses for a moment. “Why is the background so loud?”

Toast rolls his eyes. “We’re at a bar, Rae. Out with it, will you?”

“A bar? What the fuck? You left me to play the game while you guys party?”

Corpse laughs as Toast huffs at her response. 

“We _‘were’_ having a party until you rudely interrupted it,” Toast sneers. 

“This is so unfair! Captain, how dare you let Toast coerced you to do this, huh? I’m supposed to be partying with you guys! I cannot believe I’m stuck with this Guild HR business!”

“It’s boys’ night out, Rae. We’re at a party. If there’s nothing more, I’ll hang up, yeah?” Corpse chuckles. He felt terrible for Rae, but she lost fair and square. Plus, the interaction between them afterward is so funny that he couldn’t help but play along with it. 

“Wait, wait, captain! I have something important to tell you guys.”

“Hurry up! I have to pick up some girls after this,” Toast snaps back while Corpse laughs. 

“First, gross. Second, okay, fine. So this new server is very different from the others. It’s tough and weird and has like super crazy looking monsters. It’s like it’s not part of Avalanche like it’s a completely different game.”

“What do you mean? Did you at least build the alliance and recruited people?” Corpse asks, confused. 

“Yes, I have ten members onboarded already, but they all died after we fought a hidden boss... but that’s beside the point. The point is, the 11th server is just like that world we used to talk about back when we were noobs.”

Toast frowns as he raises his eyebrow. “You’re not making any sense, Rae. You’re losing us here.”

“Wait! Hear me out! Back when we were just starting, we talked about a Mystic Cave, where a skeleton boss named Tameria resides. If it dies over the time limit, an overpowered spider will spawn under the ground to avenge it from the intruders. Sounds familiar?”

Corpse frowns as he pauses to think. _Where did he hear this story before?_ _It sounds eerie familiar._ He let out a small gasp, a massive, painful feeling forming in his chest. He glances at Toast, who gave him a stern nod.

“And only an enchanter can kill it.”

“Exactly, Corpse. Only an enchanter can kill it.”

“So, you met Tameria and the hidden boss Almeria?” Toast asks, his demeanor has completely turned serious. 

“Yes, Toast. Honestly, I couldn’t see if the spider’s name is Almeria, but what I know is that it was level 2000, and it killed all my low-leveled party members. It was about to kill me when the enchanter showed up. He killed it so fast that I didn’t even see how he did it.”

Corpse closes his eyes as he feels his body trembles. Flashes of forgotten memories start to rummage through his head, and it’s making him dizzy. 

“Anyway, what I am saying is that there’s only one enchanter in the history of Avalanche. Only one. Which means he’s back, guys. Sykkuno is back.” 


	2. The Courtesy Visit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Toast rummages through his old journal to see what Rae was talking about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a bit of a slow-build but I'd like you guys to understand the history of the characters and why they become the way they are. Also, I want you to imagine the world that they are in, and how it will connect them in the long run. 
> 
> Wait for it, Sykkuno will appear in the next chapter. :)

It’s been almost ten years since Toast last saw Corpse breakdown like this. The first time it happened, he didn’t know what to do. Toast saw his friend go through horrible phases of despair, and it pains him that he was not strong enough to help him. But now, he is older and much wiser, and he will not let that happen again.

Moments after Rae shared the news, Corpse's whole demeanor changed and almost immediately decided to get wasted for the night. With no question asked, Toast joined him but secretly replaced his beer with water so he could watch out for his friend. He sat beside him all night, quietly watching his captain drink his sorrow away.

He brought him back to their shared house after, tucking his drunk friend to his bed, before hunting down Rae to scold her. She was already in tears when he realized he was being unreasonable. It wasn’t her fault. After all, she was just the messenger. He just wished she could have timed it better. As a truce, Toast agreed to take over the Guild building business for her on the new server. Besides, he’s curious about this new world, and he couldn’t wait to see it for himself.

If what Rae said is true, then the 11th server is based on their fantasy world expansion plan. Only four people knew about it, and since the three of them became pro-gamers, it must be Sykkuno who created it. He never took his old friend as a programmer, but then again, there’s only so much he knows about him. Sykkuno has always been a shy person, always kept things to himself, and only converses when asked. Toast reckons that if there is someone who truly knew who Sykkuno was, it will be Corpse.

Still, Toast can’t help but feel elated with this whole ordeal that Sykkuno has brought upon them. Whether he created this or not, this is the best thing that has happened in Avalanche. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine that their fantasy world will be programmed as an actual server in the game. He remembers that it started when he joked that they could do better than Avalanche’s programmers and writers. It was back when the game was just starting and was seemingly under-developed with its buggy gameplay and bad graphics. Corpse, Sykkuno, and Rae started chiming in, sharing their own take of their fantasy world. Eventually, the four of them teamed up and bonded over their dreams of creating a more complex world for Avalanche. Now, their world is out there for every player to explore, and its introduction will change how the game will be played from then on. 

The return of Sykkuno and the launch of this new server bring in a lot of issues to consider. Professional alliances can use this new server to understand the intricate strategy behind the gameplay of Avalanche. If the 11th server is the world they wanted to create before, it is designed to conjecture the line of thinking of his, Corpse, Rae, and Sykkuno. After all, it was the four of them who formulated it that way. However, it will also be easier for the rival alliances to surmise how they think, which means the tournaments will be more rigid and complicated.

It’s not that Toast is complaining. It will be more fun and challenging this way. He has been bored with all the usual game styles of his rivals, and with this new development, he will be able to use more complex strategies to win competitions.  _ Talk about using his big brain to defeat all his nemesis! _ He can already imagine their smug faces turning sour once he laid out his heinous plan for them. Toast can’t help but feel the thrill as he lets out an evil laugh. 

Then there’s the issue of the appearance of the Enchanter. When Avalanche was just starting, they were free to create their job class. Corpse having originated the Battle Mage, Rae on Archer, and Toast on Assassin. Sykkuno decided to be an Enchanter, a hybrid between a warlock and a summoner. It’s an unpredictable and highly strategic character that can be played as both defense and offense. It can also stand on its own and doesn’t need to operate with a team when exploring or grinding. Aside from that, the Enchanter can also copy the skills of other character types alongside different abilities that are unique to its own. But it had all been forgotten when Avalanche locked and standardized the job classes a few months after Sykkuno left. So technically, Rae was right. There’s only one Enchanter in the history of Avalanche, which means Sykunno has most likely returned.

Given this, once the rival alliances find out about this unique character, they will be flocking to recruit Sykkuno to their team. Having an Enchanter means an instant win. Aside from being very powerful, strategies don’t apply to its unpredictability traits. Additionally, Sykkuno is a kind of player that ostensibly can always read Corpse and Toast’s mind. If other alliances nab him, Winter’s Eve will have a difficult time winning the next tournament.

But those issues are nothing compared to Corpse’s strained relationship with Sykkuno. After all these years, Sykkuno still has the power to break his captain. Just the mere mention of his name has already made his friend a blabbering wasted mess. Toast fears that this can damage their team morale. If Corpse doesn’t figure out how he will handle Sykunno’s return fast, Winter’s Eve might end up running around the next tournament like a headless chicken.

He remembers that last call he had with Sykkuno. His friend called him to share that Corpse wasn’t worth it anymore. He didn’t share the details, and Toast didn’t ask, but he sounded so broken and miserable. Though it pained him to know that he would be losing his friend, he knew Sykkuno needed the time and space to heal even if it meant leaving the game and cutting off their friendship entirely. For Toast, as long as Sykkuno can find peace and serenity, he will support it. Corpse, on the other hand, didn’t take the news so well. It took him months of convincing before playing Avalanche again and another few months to persuade him to take gaming as a profession. Though Toast didn’t know the full extent of their relationship, he knew broader and deeper feelings are involved. Whatever that is, Corpse and Sykkuno’s bond is definitely more than just a typical relationship. 

Toast climbs up the attic and starts rummaging for his old notes in their old storage boxes. He let out a tiny grin when he finally located his old Avalanche journal. As he flips through the pages, he realizes how extensive their fantasy world was. It is made up of four factions, each supposedly ruled by the four of them. North is the Land of the Dragons reigned by Corpse Husband, Disguised Toast looks after the Land of Wilderness in the West, Valkyrae rules over the Land of Fire in the East, and Sykkuno governs the Land of the Mystic in the South.

Toast assumes Rae entering the Mystic Cave must have triggered the hidden boss. If he’s right, her appearance at the Land of the Mystic has alerted its guardians, for her character is widely recognized as a rival ruler from the neighboring land. What she should have done was to pay a courtesy visit to its ruler first before exploring the area, or else it will be considered as an act of war. Toast supposes that Sykunno’s sudden appearance at the cave is solely about saving her character and not about vaunting his sudden return.

Toast carries his journal as he strolls back to his room. He sits down in front of his computer, places his old notes to his side, and opens the game. He has already sobered up, but his mind is too awake with all the adrenaline rush. He needs to understand what Rae was talking about, and he needs to do it fast before Corpse wakes up from his slumber. Right now, emotions are running high, and Toast needs to use logic to make sense of this whole mystery.

The moment his character, Disguised Toast, lands in front of the town’s entrance, he knows right away what Rae was rambling about earlier. The 11th server’s look and feel are unlike the other servers. Its design is different, from the characters to the scenery. Every detail is carefully put together, presenting a unique, ostentatious, and magical look. 

He clicks on the map on the side of the screen, and just as he had expected, it is the same map the four of them created years ago. His location pins him in Valhalla’s city at the Land of Fire, Rae’s supposed territory. Learning from his friend’s misfortune, he can’t explore this land further as it will trigger high-powered enemies. 

He decides to explore the town instead and search for a local navigator to help him unconventionally travel to different locations. As he walked around the area, he couldn’t help but be fascinated by its design. Rae will be blown away. Valhalla was designed exactly the way she described her land should be. Surrounded by exotic plants and red trees, the town has a medieval look and is decorated with white marbles and rubies. Also, the townspeople look exotic and wear colorful, ornate garments. The details are all on-point, and Toast is very, very impressed.

_ It must have taken Sykkuno years to perfect this world,  _ Toast thought. Though his friend’s motivation is unclear to him, he’s still very grateful. Without his efforts, he won’t be able to experience this once-in-a-lifetime adventure. 

Toast roams around the local market and takes note of all the materials up for purchase. Some of it is currently available in the other servers, while some are materials Toast has never seen before. He also notices that this server’s NPCs act like players and most probably programmed uniquely, so each interplay has its own different results. This means that the gameplay for this server is different which makes it not a typical Avalanche game. It is an entirely new one.

“Wow, Disguised Toast in the flesh! What brings you to the world of the mortals?”

Toasts turn around to see Jacksepticeye, the top Knight character in Avalanche, equipped with his signature golden armor with a flashy gigantic diamond sword, which he carries on his back. Toast turns on his microphone and grins.

“Ha. Ha. Hilarious Jack,” Toast barks back with a smirk, his tone sarcastic. “Did you also come to see if the rumors were true?”

Jack may be the vice-captain of their rival alliance Sun Star, but their relationship with him has always been friendly. Though loud in nature, he is an easygoing guy and has a strong camaraderie with other alliances, especially Winter’s Eve. Apart from Toast, he is also one of the closest friends of Corpse. Despite Jack being a famous pro-player, he is not surprised to see the knight at this new server. Jack is one of the few people he knows who truly loves playing Avalanche. Knowing him, he probably volunteered himself to his captain so he can explore this new server.

“Yeah, buddy. I used a dummy earlier, but since I keep on getting killed by these strange new monsters, I just decided to use my pro-account. It’s easier this way, you know, well, except for the constant friend request from other players,” Jack replies in one breath.

Toast laughs back. He completely understands where Jack is coming from. He had only been on the server for an hour, and he had already declined hundreds of friend and party requests. 

“I’m looking for the Town’s navigator so that I can visit the other lands. Would you like to join me?”

“Yeah, sure, Toast,” Jack quickly said. “I’m already done with all the guild business anyway.”

_ Fuck. The guild.  _ Toast has forgotten all about that. He did promise Rae that he will look after the Guild for her. “How many have you recruited?”

“Spying are we, Toast?” Jack teases. “Oh well, it’s not as if it’s confidential information anyway. I have ten people already but upgrading the alliance seems tough around this server. I’m not really sure how to continue.” 

“Then we’re both the same. Anyway, Rae will take care of recruitment for us. Besides, she seems to have lots of fans around here.”

Jack laughs maniacally, and Toast raises an eyebrow at him. “Oh, please, Toast. You hate recruiting. If my intuition is correct, you came here not for the guild but to study this server. Give me $10 if I’m right.”

Toast smirks as he nods his head. “You know what, Jack, I have something even better for you. Next time we meet, the first round of drinks will be on me.”

They wander around the crowded town together, occasionally spewing friendly insults at each other. They visited the temples and the private establishments, trying on the exotic materials and various services the city offers. But after an hour of exploring the area, they still couldn’t find what they were looking for. Toast must have been missing something. Every town should have a local NPC navigator. 

“Toast, this town doesn’t seem to have a navigator. This is very weird,” Jack said suspiciously.

“No shit Sherlock. Give me a second, will ya?”

Toast quickly checks his journal to look for Rae’s empire plan outline. It’s written there that her land doesn’t use navigators for traveling the neighboring lands, but instead, she built her own teleport council. To access this privilege, they would need to obtain a particular material.

“Hmm... Jack, do you happen to have a firebolt material with you?”

“Huh? Why?” Jack asks, confused.

“We need those to visit the teleportation council,” Toast said, scratching his chin. “This town doesn’t have a navigator because they use teleportation to travel across the land.”

“Uh... I can ask my members to look for one but uh, how did you know this?” 

Toast bit his lip to prevent himself from laughing. Though he’s friends with Jack, he is still from a rival alliance. A potential enemy. He can’t share yet what he knows. “Let’s say it’s a smart hypothesis.”

“Really now?” Jack presses, his tone questioning.

Toast rolls his eyes. “Just go with it, Jack.”

“Fine. Keep your secrets, Toast, but I demand full download the next time we see each other, okay?” Jack commands, annoyed.

Toast chuckles in amusement. “Yeah, yeah. Ask your team to bring two for both of us.”

“Your laziness to ask your guild is beyond me,” Jack exclaims, as he sighs exasperatedly. “Give me a few minutes. I’ll ask the guild.”

Toast nods as he watches his friend walk away. He looks for a nice spot nearby to rest his character while he waits. It took another full hour before Jack came back with the materials. Toast tries to hide his giggle as he watches his friend’s character walk up to him with a furious expression on his face. 

“What the actual fucking fuck Toast? You didn’t tell me the only way to obtain these firebolts is by killing an enormous fire breathing Tera Saurus!”

“Jack, first congratulations on obtaining the materials we need. Second, thank you for being so generous. Third, I didn’t fucking know, okay?”

Jack sighs in defeat. “Well, this better be worth it. My members died obtaining it.”

“Speaking of which, may I ask what  _ you _ did for a full hour? Did you at least help them fight the monster?”

“Well, I am too famous for the dirty work, so I just commanded them and watched them repeatedly die until they got it,” Jack said proudly. 

Toast stares at him blankly. “This is why the pro-gamers can’t be guild masters. We’re quite heartless to the newbies.”

“Yeah, tell me about it.”

Toast leads Jack to the teleportation council’s location at the far end of the city. After presenting the materials, the NPC awarded them teleportation crystals to help them navigate through the map. 

“What now, Toast?” Jack asks as he follows him out of the council’s building.

“I want to visit the Land of Mystic. Want to tag along?”

“Well, you seem to know how this server works weirdly, plus I’m already invested, so why not?” Jack answers thoughtfully.

“Good. Good. We should visit the Mystic castle first,” Toast suggests as Jack nods excitedly. “Alright, I’ll see you there.”

With his newly acquired teleportation card, traveling across land becomes an easy task. After clicking his preferred location, the game loads for a few minutes. Toast assumes that the game traffic might be high as it loads slower than usual, but after a while, his character finally appears and is teleported in front of the Mystic castle’s gate. However, before he can move, hundreds of soldiers suddenly appear, surrounding him as they draw their weapons.

“Wha-, what the fuck is happening?” Toast exclaims a little bit louder on his microphone.

An NPC wearing a luxurious garment appeared behind the crystal gate, gazing at him menacingly. 

“You are recognized as an enemy of the land, Disguised Toast, King of the Wilderness. You will be thrown to the dungeon to await your trial.”

“What are you talking about? I didn’t do anything,” Toast reasons, confused with this new development.

The NPC just watches him with a blank expression. “The King of Dragons just declared war with our ruler, and he named you as one of his accomplices. Our high court is accusing you, alongside your accomplices, of treason.”

“Wh-what do you mean?”

“You may defend yourself at the trial, but for now, you will share the dungeons with your accomplices.”

With a snap of the NPC’s fingers, Disguised Toast was instantly transported to the dungeon cell. He looks around to see a very pissed Jack scolding Avalanche’s greatest player of all time, who is sitting silently in the corner looking very guilty.

_ Well, fuck. Of course, drunk Corpse had to ruin everything,  _ Toast thought in amusement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for leaving nice comments and kudos to this story. Please continue to do so. I really appreciate it.


	3. The Trial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Corpse knew he messed up. He just couldn't remember how.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was deliberating what to use - Jack or Sean. But I ended up using Jack instead. :)

“I cannot believe this! I cannot fucking believe this!”

Corpse forcibly takes his headphones off to spare himself from Jack's loud and ostensibly never-ending scolding. He, himself, cannot believe what just happened. This server was supposed to be played out like Avalanche’s other servers. He didn't know that his actions inside this game had consequences. It is quite a surreal and, at the same time, horrifying discovery.

Corpse massages his temples in frustration. What did he do? He can’t seem to remember. All he knows is that after Toast brought him back home and left him in his room, he got out of bed and started panicking. He was too engrossed and agitated with the knowledge that Sykkuno has returned. He remembers turning on his computer and logging in to the new server. Flashing images of a massive colonial city and a flying dragon crosses his mind, but everything seems blurred afterward. 

He glances around to see Toast watching him, an amused smile settling on his character’s face. Corpse sighs deeply, putting his headphones back on. He’s still drunk, and his head is spinning, and Jack’s nervous breakdown isn’t helping.

“What do you think will happen? Will they kill us if they find us guilty? Would we lose our characters? Will they take our levels? Will they take away our materials? Our weapons? Will they strip us of our titles? What the fuck will happen?”

“Take a fucking deep breath, Jack,” Toast grunts, annoyed. “We need to use logic here, not emotions.”

Jack frowns at Toast but shuts his mouth. He sits down heavily beside Corpse and grumpily crosses his arms.

“Then what do you suggest we do now, Mr. Logic?” Jack asks.

Toast gives Jack a look, and Corpse can’t help but sniggers. “First, I need to understand what happened. What the fuck happened here, huh?” Toast pauses and shoots a sharp look at Corpse, “And what the fuck are you doing here, Corpse? You’re supposed to be asleep.” 

Corpse groans as he bows his head guiltily. “I know, Toast. I’m really sorry. It’s my fault.”

“Of course it’s your God-damn-fault, you dim-witted son of a gun! Thank God, you’re fucking precious, and we’ve been friends for a very long time, or else I would have visited you at your house and choke you to death!” Jack complains. 

“Okay, okay. Enough with the banter. Jack, what happened? We’re supposed to meet at the Mystic Castle, right? The game loaded a bit slower on my end, so I came in late. The next thing I know is that an NPC is accusing me of being an accomplice to treason. Care to tell me what occurred during those few minutes while I’m at the loading screen?”

Jack takes a deep breath before speaking, “Well, this guy was already in the gates when I got transported. He was fighting with the NPC and demanding to see a  _ Sykkuno _ . What the hell is a  _ Sykkuno, _ by the way? Anyway, Corpse started spewing insults and threatening the NPC. Then, Holy Shit! Hundreds of guards suddenly appeared and drew their weapons at him. I was shocked, Toast. It’s like something straight from the movies! I was supposed to bring out the popcorn when this idiot started laughing like a crazy person and pointed me as one of his associates. Honestly, I didn't even realize he knew I was there, Toast. I tried to reason with the NPC, and I said I was a tourist, that I was visiting the town with you. But this fool interrupted us and said, you're also his associate, and you are coming as his back-up. Anyway, just like that, the NPC scowled at me and commanded the guards to arrest me as well. I am left with two choices here, either I log off from the game or help him. I went with the former because I’m smart and I value my life. But surprisingly, I couldn't log off. The fucking game wouldn’t let me. Which means I have to help him. And I’m an excellent friend Toast. I really tried helping this idiot. I mean, what could go wrong? He’s the most powerful character in the game, right? But no, this loony keeps on swerving back and forth, making useless moves. It was so embarrassing! To think this fool holds seven MVP League titles. The next thing I know is that we are already getting destroyed by the enemies, and I only have two percent on both my MP and HP. I had to yield for both of us, Toast!”

Corpse tries his best not to laugh. How Jack spews that out in one breath is a mystery to him. He also silently thank him for explaining what happened because, honestly, he couldn’t remember what he did. Although the situation sounds hilarious, coming from Jack’s perspective. It must be embarrassing to watch him make a fool out of himself. Corpse grins as he attempts to peak at Toast, who’s looking very serious.

“But why is the charge treason and not assault?” Toast asks, confused.

Jack grimaces as he points at Corpse. “This is most probably because your idiot captain kept on shouting that he will kill every villager, including women and children of the Land of Mystic, if they do not bring him  _ a Sykkuno _ .” 

Toast smirks in amusement. “Wow. You went dark there, Corpse.”

“Yeah, real dark. But what the fuck are we supposed to do now, Toast?”

Toast nods, acknowledging Jack’s question. He starts pacing back and forth with his hand on his chin, a habit that Corpse recognizes he makes when he has no solution to a problem. Nonetheless, Toast is the smartest Avalanche player he has ever met, and he’s sure that he will come up with something brilliant. 

Or not.

“I honestly have no clue.” 

Corpse laughs as Jack explodes. “What do you mean you have no clue, Toast? Aren’t you the greatest strategist in this game? What is happening right now? Oh God, am I stuck with two nincompoops?” 

Toast clears his throat as he hides his grin with his hand. “Based on my data, we are, probably, going to be stuck in this dungeon for some time. We can only stand in the trial once the ruler of the land decides to start it. Which means, we are presumably going to wait for a long time.”

“Hours? Days? Or Weeks? You mean we have to be online while waiting?”

“I honestly don't know Jack. It is my first time exploring this server the same as you!” Toast hisses as he scowls at him.

“Fffuuuccckkk. I have a reputation to uphold!” 

A general announcement pops out on Corpse’s left screen, and after clicking it, he chuckles. “Well, look at that. They announced our trial on the server’s notice board. How convenient.”

Toast laughs with him while Jack roars in frustration.

“The internet will have a field day, lads! It will be all over the news! Oh my God, my captain! My captain will scold me so hard!” Jack screams in panic.

“Wait, guys,” Toast said after a minute. “If our trial already on the notice board, then it means the trial will happen sooner than we thought.” 

“Makes sense, Toast,” Corpse chimes in agreement. “But don’t you think we need a lawyer or something?”

“Aha!” Toast beams excitedly. “You might be drunk, Corpse, but you’re still a genius. Let me wake up Rae. I’ll be back.”

After Toast splits and goes AFK, Corpse gapes at Jack, who’s peering back at him dubiously.

“What, Jack?”

Jack stares at him narrowly. “You’re drunk? You played the fucking game while intoxicated?”

Corpse lets out a sigh, feeling uneasy as he explains himself. “Kind of. Look, man, I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t mean to put us in this situation.”

“That whole swerving move you did with the guards was because you are drunk, right?”

“Yeah,” Corpse laughs as he scratches the back of his head. “That was very embarrassing.”

Jack laughs back, and Corpse starts to relax. “You have no idea! I thought you were doing a Drunken Tiger move, you know, but then you just  _ swerve _ …”

“I honestly couldn’t remember, but I imagine it must be hilarious,” Corpse says, smirking.

“For sure, man,” Jack agrees, smiling. “Well, in any case, I still think you’re the greatest player in Avalanche.”

“Thanks, Jack,” Corpse says. “And don’t worry about your captain. I’ll give Felix a call and explain everything.”

Jack cackles as he shakes his head. “No need, man. I’ll handle that. I’m just worried about my character. This cost millions of dollars, you know. I would hate it if it got stripped off its titles or weapons.”

Corpse nods in understanding. “I’m not sure what will happen, but if it does, I’ll pay for it.”

Jack snorts. “Shut it, rich kid. I can afford it.”

This is why he will always make time for Jack. Their friendship is not just about the game; it’s also about mutual respect. Jack genuinely cares about him and is truly happy with his accomplishments. There’s no pretense or tricks with him, and Corpse knows that Toast can see that as well. It is also why he is one of the few people that Corpse trusts with his identity. 

Their moment was suddenly interrupted by Toast's return. He is looking complacent, and Corpse can’t help but feel hopeful. “Okay, Rae should be here in a few minutes. She’s already in the game and just looking for materials so she can come here.”

Corpse nods at him appreciatively. He’s grateful that Rae has decided to stay with them for the holidays. At least this way, they can handle it within themselves first. This may cause some hiccups in the management, but if they play their cards right, they might get away from this tricky situation. Jack still looks uncertain, and Corpse taps his shoulder to console him. His friend gives him a small smile, which he returns with a bright one.

After a few minutes of waiting, Valkyrae finally shows up. She studies them incredulously in between the dungeon metal bars, an evil smile forming on her pretty face.

“Oh, look at these poor, unfortunate souls. What can I get in exchange for defending you in the high court?”

Toast scoffs without humor. “This is not what we talked about, Rae.”

“Oh, look at that. It’s time to go back to bed.”

“Don’t you dare, Rae,” Toast threatens, his face turning red.

“Enjoy prison, boys.”

“Wait, wait,” Toast pleads before sighing in defeat. “Fine. You can have the spare room on the third floor for your Yoga activities.”

“Okay, that’s a deal,” Rae squeals in excitement. She turns to look at Corpse, her smile turning more sinister. “How about you, Captain?”

“Uh,” Corpse begins as he looks at Toast, who just nods at him encouragingly. “I’ll take you shopping this weekend. My treat.”

“Good, good. I’m glad we came to an understanding, Captain. And what about you, Jack?”

“W-What? Why do I have to be part of this negotiation? It’s your captain who messed things up, not me,” Jack protests.

“Because you will rot in jail if you don’t. I will not represent a client without any payment.” Rae demands. Her tone put much emphasis on her last phrase.

“You Winter’s Eve people are mad. Real bonkers!” Jack whines as he shakes his head frantically. 

“Time is ticking, Jack.”

Jack stares at her open-mouthed. “Fine! I’ll treat you to dinner.”

Rae frowns. “Not good enough.”

“What the fuck? Corpse just said --” 

Rae glowers at him, and Jack quickly shuts his mouth. He took a long, deep breath before speaking. “How about I’ll buy you a new computer?”

Rae smiles in delight. “Deal. Okay, boys, Toast already gave me a download of what happened earlier. But before I continue, I’d like to say a few words.”

“The nerve,” Jack mumbles under his breath as Corpse and Toast giggles.

Rae ignores them and continues, “First, I want to say I am very disappointed with you, Captain, for being a drunk mess. You should know better. Second, I am upset that Toast did not do his Guild duties but instead decided to wander around the server with Jack. How irresponsible for a Vice-captain.”

Corpse can feel Toast is about to explode. From the look of it, his eyes are already twitching and a psychotic smile is growing on his face. He gently nudges him to get his attention and quickly shakes his head. 

“Don’t do it, Toast,” Corpse quietly breathes out. 

“I’m going to kill her, Corpse. I’m going to chop her body and throw it in the ocean. I’ll make sure no one will find her body,” Toast whispers, his smile widening. 

“I’ll help,” Jack mumbles softly.

Rae, seemingly unaware of the ongoing attempt to murder her, just smiles at them smugly. “Now that I expressed my thoughts, you guys will have to follow me to the courtroom. I already presented myself as your defense, and you shall abide by my plans. No one is allowed to talk, okay? You can only speak when I ask you to speak. Let me do my job as your lawyer.”

They nod at her in unison, their faces bearing a constrained smile. Rae raises an eyebrow at them and smirks.

“Oh, don't give me that look, boys. You’re the one in jail, not me.”

_

After a few minutes, a guard appears to escort them out of the dungeon. They followed him to the hallway into a gigantic and ornate court hall filled with spectators. Corpse reckons that their trial’s announcement had gathered around curious players eager to find out what will happen to Avalanche’s famous pro-gamers. This can either go very bad or very good for their public image. He glances at Rae, who’s looking proud and confident, and he silently prays that she can make a miracle out of their situation.

A minute later, the NPC they met earlier in the game walks into the courtroom and sits at the opposite aisle. Based on Jack’s story, this must be the same NPC he verbally assaulted. 

“That’s the fucking NPC who threw us in jail,” Jack yelps as he points at the character.

The NPC rolls his eyes. “I am not a fucking NPC, you idiot.”

The three of them stare at him, their jaws dropping. Rae whimpers in pain as she tries hard not to laugh.

“The name is Ludwig, and I’m the High General of the Land of Mystic. The King’s right-hand man. And you idiots came here with unruly attitudes, bringing in chaos and spewing insults at me. Tell me, what's your problem?” Ludwig asks irritably. 

Rae clears her throat as she puts her lawyer’s face on. “Ludwig, Sir, given that my clients are quite new to this land and are unfamiliar with the customs, I ask for your patience and understanding. They came here originally for a courtesy visit, but because of their barbaric foreign ways, they didn’t know that they should approach your graciousness in a more civil manner.”

Corpse can faintly hear Toast and Jack grumbling murder at the back, and he immediately bit his lips to stop himself from laughing.

Ludwig furrows his brows as he thinks out loud. “Barbaric, you say? That man behind you said that he would  _ murder  _ women and children if I do not bring my King to him.”

“Exactly, your grace. He is from the Land of Dragons, and they are known to spew ridiculous demands and barbaric actions, but truly, Corpse is a sweetheart. Do you know that he eats his Oreo with peanut butter and jelly? He also walks my dog every morning and loves him more than I do. Dog lovers can’t be killers.”

Corpse stares at Rae in bewilderment. He’s at a loss for words.

“Yes, yes. You have a point there, Valkyrae,” Ludwig nods in approval.

“They have a clean record and are first time offenders, so I plead that you free them and just give them a warning.”

“Not even a penalty?” A sweet yet authoritative voice asks.

Corpse closes his eyes against the nausea rising up his stomach and into his throat. He hasn’t heard that warm voice for years, yet it feels like yesterday. He takes a deep, shaky breath as he slowly turns to look at the owner of the warm voice. There standing in the distant corner, is Sykkuno’s Enchanter looking princely as ever.

The whole court stands up to acknowledge his presence. People start babbling to each other, asking who this new character is. He is the only Enchanter in the whole Avalanche game, and his armor and weapons are exquisite and unworldly. Corpse ignores them and focuses on staring at Sykkuno, afraid he will disappear if he looks away.

Rae freezes for a moment, stunned by the presence of her old friend. She swallows hard before answering. “T-that’s fair, Syk- You’re Highness. But I urge you to please consider their clean record.”

Sykkuno nods at her. “Since you put together a nice defense, Valkyrae, your clients will be spared from the punishment. However, as a penalty for causing a disturbance, I shall take away five levels each from your clients.”

“That’s fair, your highness.”

“Then, it is settled. Ludwig, please dismiss this case immediately,” Sykunno orders as he gives a swift nod at his general. As he turns to leave, Corpse quickly walks over to him.

“Wait, Sykkuno,” Corpse says before he can stop himself. 

Sykkuno turns to look at him, his eyes leveling his. “Yes, Corpse Husband?”

“I- uh,” Corpse starts but can’t find the right words to say. Where does he begin? There are so many questions he wants to ask. So many things he wants to know. He glances back at Sykkuno, who’s gazing at him with a blank expression. Corpse can feel his heart pounding hard and his body shaking. He breathes in and out for a minute to calm himself.

Sykkuno eyes him carefully before smiling. “If there’s nothing more, I shall take my leave then.”

With that, he left, his character disappearing from the screen, leaving Corpse staring at an empty wall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are very appreciated. Thank you so much!

**Author's Note:**

> It's a passion project right now and if there's anyone willing to write this story with me, that will be awesome. Just let me know. 
> 
> Feel free to leave kudos and comments - It will keep me inspired. :)


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